A lot has changed for Meghan Markle since she and Prince Harry stepped down as senior royals in early 2020. Over the last year and a half, she's moved countries, changed careers, and welcomed a daughter. But one of the smaller changes the Duchess of Sussex has made has been to her style and wardrobe. Her post-royal-exit fashion has been pretty different than the stuff she used to wear to engagements where she represented the Crown.
These subtle changes were most recently highlighted during her trip to New York with Harry for the Global Citizen Live event. At all the outings she made there, she showed off her confident new sense of style. If you didn't notice it then, you will when seeing all the ways her fashion and beauty routine have changed since she exited the monarchy.
California Casual
There really aren't many states that have such specific senses of style, but California is one of them. And Meghan jumped right back into that Cali casual way of dressing when she moved to Los Angeles in 2020. We love this breezy striped jumpsuit and her wide-brimmed straw hat with her strappy sandals. Perfect for a day in the yard or at the beach.
Street Style
With the pressures of their royal life removed, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex seemed to settle into their Los Angeles lifestyle pretty quickly after ending their royal duties. Early in 2020, they were spotted volunteering while dressed in equally casual street style outfits. With no more heels required for engagements, Meghan could just rock a shirt, linen pants, and a baseball hat.
Denim
Denim is one of those fabrics the royals rarely wear. Perhaps it's because it's considered more casual or because it can wrinkle, but regardless, the post-Megxit duchess was able to throw on a denim chambray shirt for this birthday video with Archie. Considering that she's now a mom of two, she needs all the sturdy fabrics and breezy tops she can get.
Shorts
There's no rule against royals wearing shorts, but it's just kind of unspoken protocol. There's a reason we've only seen Kate Middleton don them once, and for a super sporty occasion. But now Meg can wear all the shorts she wants, and she has — to a charity engagement and everything! It gets hot in Los Angeles, so her wearing shorts makes a lot of sense.
Political Top
The royal family doesn't ever weigh in on politics, but Meghan has a couple of times since stepping back as a senior royal. For instance, she wore this RBG shirt in honor of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. You would just never see someone like Kate in a similarly political shirt, it's so taboo.
Nap Dress
Nap dresses (flowy, nightgown-style outfits) were everywhere in 2020, and a pregnant Meghan hopped right on that trend for one of her maternity dresses. Can you imagine her wearing something similar while representing the royal family? Never. But her new Cali lifestyle out of the spotlight allowed her to let her style shift a bit more casual.
Boho Style
We also adore this maternity dress that Meghan wore for this family photo shoot. In real life, the dress is a soft brown color, because Meg just loves a neutral. This outfit gives off a bohemian vibe with its tropical pattern, off-the-shoulder sleeves, and loose fit. Perfect for a day in the California sun.
Chilling at Home
The difference between the video engagements Kate Middleton does from home and the ones Meghan does can be seen in their style. The Duchess of Cambridge is always done up for her calls — blown-out hair and crisp blouse or dress. It's part of her royal allure. But Meghan recently did a video call while wearing a tank top and a cozy sweater with her hair swept back into a casual bun. Effortless.
Athleisure
Royals can rock athleisure — Princess Diana used to do it all the time. But we actually rarely saw Meghan in gym clothes during her time in the royal family. But now that she's stepped away from all of that, we've seen her loosen up some of her style rules to include things like leggings, sneakers, track jackets, baseball hats, and more.
Cozy & Oversized
When Meghan and Harry recently visited New York for a series of work events, we got to see exactly how much Meghan's professional style has changed since her royal days. We saw a lot fewer dresses and way more power suits. We love this deep red outfit with the baggy blazer and rolled-up sleeves. It's both effortless and polished.
Minidress
At the Global Citizen Live event, Meghan hit the stage dressed in a chic white minidress by Valentino. In the past, she caught flak for her short hemlines while representing the royal family. But now, she can show her thighs and not get dragged by every tabloid newspaper for breaking protocol. We love that for her.
Monochrome Suit
Monochrome suits have been all the rage in 2021, and Meghan is never one to shy away from trying a trend. This head-to-toe navy look conveys her strength and her sense of style all in one. It's a shame that Queen Elizabeth prefers royal women to wear dresses over pants, because we were robbed of a lot of good Meghan power suit moments.
Jumpsuits
Jumpsuits are another trend that the Duchess of Sussex can more easily explore now that she doesn't have a pants-not-preferred rule hanging over her head. This tan utilitarian jumpsuit was the perfect choice to pair with her relaxed coat for a visit to the United Nations headquarters. Doing global work while being a global fashion icon.
Business Chic
Honestly, the way Meghan dresses now reminds us a lot of Amal Clooney. High-powered, professional, and yet super stylish. Meg looks like she could totally roll into any boardroom meeting and take charge in this turtleneck dress and overcoat with her chic sunglasses, purse, and laptop. What a boss.
Beauty Shift
Meghan's style hasn't only just changed in how she dresses, but also in her hair and makeup. As her wardrobe relaxed, so did her beauty routine. Her hair's not quite as done up these days, and since she's such a natural beauty, it doesn't matter. She can just run a brush through and look stunning. She's also played with adding more makeup, since traditionally royal women wear minimal makeup.
We love to see her experimenting with her style more in every way.
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
